Seng girls update 2018

MARCH 2018

L S R I U G P D G A N T E E S

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Table of Contents

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From the Headmaster’s Desk

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Water Tower = Showers for the girls

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2017 Graduates

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Tailoring Classes

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Cooking Classes

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Internship at SGVTS

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From the grasslands to medical professionals

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Thank you to our sponsorship team

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Girls close to my heart

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From the Headmaster’s Desk I began working at the Seng Girls Vocational Training School (SGVTS) in July, 2016. I thoroughly enjoy my role as headmaster here because I get to be part of these girl’s lives as they grow and learn. I also have the honor of being part of lives of the teachers here. The teachers work hard to educate the girls and we work well as a team. Together we have worked to improve the academic evaluation of the students and encourage good learning habits for the girls. Because many of the girls have not been to school before, when they arrive at SGVTS they do not have good study and learning habits. It is the job of the teachers to help these girls by putting together creative ways of teaching and learning. We have set up scheduled homework and study times and extracurricular activities and playtime.

This is a wonderful school that is constantly moving forward. I am proud to be part of the SGVTS School and I thank you for your support of the work that we do here.

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Water Tower = Showers for the girls ~by the Seng Girls Today, a crane came to our school, and all of the students were very curious as to why there was a crane. Our teacher didn’t let us go near the crane. At this point we were all standing far away looking at the crane, and it seemed like we all had question marks on the top of our heads.

Before the crane came, a truck brought a digger and metal box, and sometime before, the same truck brought something that looked like a tower. The crane was here to move the tower. The crane used a metal cable to pick up the tower, and put it at the door way of our bathhouse. The crane is so strong and convenient. Then the crane put the big, metal box on the roof of the bathhouse. Our teacher told us that the tower and box was to heat water for our showers.

When we heard this, the question marks over our heads disappeared.

Nobody liked to take showers before the heater was installed, so, we would get little pimples all over our bodies. Only when we went to the doctor did we find out it was because of our bad hygiene habits. Because of the heater we can have nice showers after we work or play. It seems that the heater is very useful.

Thank you Li & Fung Foundation for funding this project and bringing amazing showers for these girls.

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2017 Graduates SGVTS run their own school up to Grade 6. 82 girls are currently working through these grades. Many of the girls have never been to school before, so quite often they are a lot older than normal age when they get to grade 6. As soon as they complete Grade 6, Dockpo (the founder of the SGVTS program) looks for the next best steps for each girl. This could be going into a vocational development program to learn a trade, or if they have academic potential, advanced schooling opportunities.

5 students graduated grade 6 in July 2017. Congratulations to Tashi (not in the picture below), Lha, Wang, Bagar and Dother!

We are so incredibly proud of you and all your achievements.

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Tashi

has been at the school for 8 years. Learning has not been an easy thing for Tashi and she needed to repeat a couple of grades. Tashi’s hard work was not in vain.

Tashi was able to secure a scholarship in a middle school close to her grandmother. As Tashi’s only relative, her grandmother is excited to see her granddaughter grow and learn and knows that she has a bright future. Thank you to Fritha and Malcolm for sponsoring Tashi through her primary school years.

2008 2017

Lha

loves to dance and she likes to participate in school activities. Lha joined the school eight years ago.

The dances she has brought to the stage over the years, has always been a big hit with the teachers and students.

After graduating, Lha joined the King Gesar Opera dance group. She is on her way of realizing her dream of being a dancer. Thank you to Enrique and Ying for sponsoring Lha through her primary school years.

2008

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Wang

came to the school four years ago. She is a quiet girl but has proved to be a hard worker by studying hard a graduating from the sixth grade with outstanding results. Wang is now studying in a middle school and is continuing her studies. Thank you to Joanne and Shifen for sponsoring Wang.

2014 2017

Bagar

has been at the school for three years.

She is a very stable girl, and always works hard with her studies and homework. As a result, Bagar was able to graduate grade 6 with excellent grades. Bagar has been accepted into a middle school and is continuing her studies. Thank you to Shaun and Sara for sponsoring Bagar through her primary school years.

2015

2017

Dother

is the school’s top student. When she first came she was put into the third grade. In one year, she was able to skip two grades and went from third grade to fifth grade. Dother had excellent grades in all her subjects and is a role model to the younger students. Dother is now studying in middle school and plans to eventually go to college. Thank you to SCIE for sponsoring Dother through her primary school.

2016

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Tailoring Classes 6 girls were in the tailoring class this past year. The girls learned how to make small Tibetan jackets and Dragon King’s treasure bags.

Thank you to Li & Fung Foundation for providing the funding to set up this program 3 years ago. It is still going strong and the girls are still using the wonderful sewing machines you provided.

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Cooking Classes The cooking program once again encouraged the girls to grow their skills in cooking and learn the local cuisine. The girls learned to cook spicy tofu, hotpot meat, shredded pork, shredded potatoes, black fungus salad and cucumber salad. The girls also learned how to prepare the food using good hygiene practice.

During the three-day school anniversary, many guests came to celebrate.

There was a large tent set up and all the food was prepared by the students and the teachers.

Thank you to Li & Fung Foundation for providing the funding to set up this program 3 years ago. It is still giving girls the opportunity to learn life skills that will help them as they grow into young women.

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2017

Internship at SGVTS Dawa was one of the original girls at the SGVTS program. Upon finishing grade 6 she started her vocational studies in 2015 through Project Eden.

English is Dawa’s major along with Math, Chinese, Computer Classes and Physical Education. Last year Dawa taught English at a summer camp with her English teacher. Then it became time to do her internship. Dawa choose to do her internship at the Seng Girls Vocational School (SGVTS).

Dawa will receive her graduation certificate later this year. We are so proud of Dawa. Thank you to Tennelle & Felix and Deborah & Anders for sponsoring Dawa through her vocational training. You have opened a whole new world for her.

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I love teaching these girls, it makes me so happy.

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from the Grasslands to Medical Professionals At Captivating, our goal is to help equip girls with education and skills that will sustainably open doors for them. Our aim is to give them opportunities that will give them wings to soar. 7 girls have been studying nursing over a four year vocational program, and we are so proud of all their achievements.

2017 My name is Lahrchem. I am currently doing my nursing internship in a hospital. So far, I’ve been in three different departments - Hepatology, General Internal Medicine and Gynecology. Currently, I’m interning in the area of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and I can see newborns every day. My work is focused in labor, delivery, and newborn care. In Obstetric I have learned much in specialist knowledge and operations, and post-partum care. My daily work is measuring vital signs, IV fluids, perineal washing, giving oxygen, catheterization, bathing and dressing the infants, and infant swim therapy.

2008

My name is Santen. I work full-time in a hospital in a large city. I mainly do acupuncture and cupping therapy in the hospital, because my major is Tibetan medicine. There are good doctors at the hospital I work with, and I have learned a lot from them. I have a one year contract with the hospital and I hope I can renew the contract next year. Life is much better now. I don’t have to ask my family for money or get support from Captivating, instead, I can help support them now. With the help of my sponsor, teacher and classmates my life has been changed for the better. The most important change is I have a dream, which is to become a doctor. If I didn’t go to medical school I wouldn’t have had an idea where I would want to be or what I would want to do. I would have been on the grasslands for the rest of my life.

2017

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Lahrchem and Santen are the first 2 girls to graduate with their graduation mid last year.

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2017

My name is YungChin and I am studying medicine. I am very lucky to receive quality training. I first went to the department of Orthopedics, and Surgery. There I learned about T tubes, stomach tubes, and how to give injections, into-venous needles, and insulin shots.

I have read many books about orthopedics. I also need to do a class reports, and measure pulses, body temperatures, breathing, blood sugar, perineum care and many other related topics. Every day, after rotations, I go to the operation room to watch and learn while the professional doctors operate. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.

Thank you to KONG, David & Adele, Tom & Shelly, and Penny & the Whalen Supply Chain for sponsoring these young ladies through their studies at SGVTS and then during their 3 year nursing studies. You have changed their world.

Thank you to our

sponsorship team Thank you to Francine and Serr Tso who diligently work to keep our sponsors updated and monitor the girls progress.

You are a great team and we are grateful for all your hard work.

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Girls close to my heart Upon meeting the Seng Girls for the first time 10 years ago, I was struck by the fact that unless these girls could have catch up education, their futures were very unsure. Having come from poverty, abuse situations, families not understanding how important education was for girls and not encouraging it, a generation of young girls would fall through the gap. It was such a pleasure to meet these girls, although at the time they were very timid, shy and unsure. No smiles, lack of confidence in who they were.

But oh, what a difference a few years make. It brings me so much joy and happiness to see these girls transition into young women. Confident, brimming with smiles, ready to play a part in their local communities and beyond. Teaching them study skills, time management, commitment and discipline to continue learning even though it was tough, tailoring and cooking to the older girls but most of all believing in them and encouraging them to keep going.

Because what they have gained at the SGVTS and vocational training schools around China have given them wings to fly and it just took a group of willing teachers, mentors, volunteers, donors to believe in them and the courage and bravery by the girls themselves to help change their lives.

Many of the girls upon graduating have gone onto middle school or vocational training schools (Medical, Art, Dance, English).

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One of my highlights this past year at Captivating’s 9th Annual Charity Gala was to see the Sengchum Drolmo Dance Troupe (girls that have graduated from SGVTS) and now performing the King Gesar Opera around China and now Asia. What a huge blessing to see these girls blossoming into beautiful, confident young woman, flourishing and thriving in the area of dance.

These girls are very close to my heart and will always remain that into the future. Thank you so very much for believing in all the girls that have had the opportunity to attend Seng Girls Vocational Training School. You have all changed these girls’ lives.

Julie Colquhoun Captivating Co-Founder

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YOU CAN BECOME INVOLVED TODAY CONTACT Daniella May at daniella@captivating.org or Andrew Colquhoun at andrewc@captivating.org

QUESTIONS ABOUT CHILD SPONSORSHIP contact Francine Zhang at francine@captivating.org

DONATE to this project through our website www.captivating.org and receive tax deductible receipts for Australian, Hong Kong and US donations.

SPEAK UP and spread the word about this project to your family, friends, business network.

Captivating International SOCIAL MEDIA

CAPTIVATING STORIES captivating2008

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